DOTM: Chapter 298/299

Chapter 298: A Ship of Extraordinary People

No one noticed the divinity that appeared on Ethan's body, only Loki could see a hint of it.

In the Marvel Universe, the Asgardian gods are often seen by many as aliens. However, there's a reason they are called gods. If divinity is understood as a unique trait of higher life forms, then the Asgardian gods naturally possess it.

As the divinity on Ethan's body gradually stabilized, Loki even offered Ethan a "congratulations."

Because the congratulations came so suddenly, everyone who was eating looked around in confusion, not knowing what had just happened.

"Because I became a demigod?"

"That means you're no longer an ant. You've stepped onto a higher level of life."

Loki could be unpleasant at times, but once someone ascends to a higher level of life, how many wouldn't start looking down on "lesser beings"?

Leaving Loki aside, even some people who are biologically similar to humans but have differences due to the mutant gene will treat ordinary people as inferior. It's clear that this kind of condescending mentality is not uncommon.

Loki often displayed this attitude openly, but today, surprisingly, he didn't take the opportunity to mock others. Logan, who knew Loki's mouth could rarely stay shut, was very surprised.

"I thought you'd take the opportunity to mock us."

Loki quietly glanced at Logan, then at Selene, Ada, and Laura, and finally rested his gaze on Sherry and Annette.

"You should be glad to have come aboard this ship. If things continue like this, even if you can't become true gods, you'll very likely transcend the level of mortals."

He looked at them one by one, because all of them had more or less already surpassed ordinary human levels. Based on Loki's understanding of Ethan, this person was not stingy when it came to distributing the benefits he acquired. Logan and the others would definitely gain ways to strengthen themselves in turn. Whether it was through potions or learning to train some special energy, they would eventually set foot on the path of the extraordinary.

Thinking of the promises Ethan had made to him, even he had received many benefits so far. Ethan never left him out when it came to potion-making. The strength Loki had gained during this period was more than what he had accumulated through decades in Asgard.

It wasn't that he hadn't worked hard back then. Sometimes, even when he wanted to train seriously, he couldn't find the right direction. Ethan, however, had laid out a practical and achievable path for him.

It could be said that Ethan had always honored his promises. That was also why Loki had gradually stopped thinking about causing trouble.

As for stabbing people during sparring, that didn't count. His aim was precise, and he would never target Ethan's vitals—though Ethan didn't really have vital points anymore. As long as his magic power was sufficient, he was essentially immortal.

Even if his magic was exhausted, his increasingly powerful physique came with strong regenerative abilities. Without even using magic to actively heal, minor injuries could return to a healthy state within a day or two.

Loki's words caused everyone at the table to fall silent for a moment. They all realized how lucky they were. Especially Logan, who would have died long ago if not for Ethan.

As for Ada and Selene, they felt that leaving their original worlds and coming here had been the right decision.

Annette, on the other hand, began thinking seriously about how she could prove her value.

Ethan didn't say anything. He didn't need to say things like, "As long as you follow me, you'll get what you deserve." He preferred to show it through action. For instance, during this time, he had also taken time to guide Sherry in training her mental power, and taught Ada how to sense energy, something necessary if she wanted to use magic stones or equipment made with magic.

Anyway, while sailing across the vast ocean, there was plenty of time to learn and absorb all kinds of new knowledge. Annette also finally had the chance to demonstrate her worth. During this period, she became Ethan's assistant, helping him produce a batch of new potions.

These potions weren't for Ethan, but for the companions on his ship.

For example, Wolverine, Logan, had mentioned wanting to improve his physical fitness. The path of the Druid didn't suit him, and Holy Light wasn't a good fit either. Relying on energy training to break through his limits seemed impossible for now. The simplest and most effective method was to start with enhancement potions.

Ethan thought this was a feasible direction, but Logan's healing factor would naturally reject various viruses. If that issue wasn't solved, the enhancement potion wouldn't have any effect.

To resolve that, the help of Annette, a biotech expert, was needed. She offered many useful suggestions and successfully earned a reward from Ethan.

An enhancement potion that restored her body to peak condition, returned her appearance to that of a twenty-eight or twenty-nine-year-old, and significantly extended her lifespan.

It wasn't that Ethan was unwilling to give her something better. It was just that, among the crew, Annette's physical condition was only better than Sherry's. Her body had already passed its prime and was inevitably declining. If she used a powerful potion in that state, it could easily cause adverse effects. The current goal was to help her return to her healthiest, peak condition first.

As for future enhancements, as long as Annette continued to contribute, Ethan would continue to reward her appropriately.

Sherry also received a weakened version of the G-virus enhancement potion. It was extremely diluted and did nothing beyond improving her recovery ability and helping her grow more healthily. It didn't grant any additional abilities.

Of course, helping her grow stronger and healthier was already enough. Once she was a little older, she could undergo further enhancement.

As the Goddess of Dawn left its previous course and began to turn, everyone on board had undergone a complete transformation. It could be said that there was no longer a single normal person on the ship.

Even for Annette, who had the shortest expected lifespan, living healthily to one hundred and fifty wouldn't be difficult. By the end of her life, she would still appear to be in her forties.

Given how hard Annette was currently working on Ethan's research, it was clear she intended to extend her lifespan far beyond that—possibly even into four-digit territory—or evolve into a higher life form. After all, Ethan was a living example right in front of her. With a clear direction and a real possibility, she was more motivated than ever. It was very likely she would succeed.

Because of her efforts, an enhancement potion suitable for Wolverine was finally developed. It could integrate well with Logan's healing factor. Not only would it not be rejected, but it would also enhance his healing ability—his already strong regeneration would now allow him to accelerate recovery through willpower.

This was similar to Ethan's own situation, except Ethan consumed magic power, while the energy Logan needed would come from external sources.

Food, energy potions, or even the natural energy present in worlds with flora and fauna.

All of these were available to Logan. But to ensure he could use this ability without any side effects when needed, Ethan made special energy bars for him. These bars contained stored energy and were packaged in metal tubes similar to cigar cases, easy to carry and consume.

The energy bars looked like chocolate but had no flavor at all.

"Why did you make this completely tasteless? You could've made it juice-flavored."

"That's to stop you from eating these life-saving bars as snacks."

Along with the previously made recovery potions, these items were stored in a bracelet on Logan's left wrist. The bracelet had a one cubic meter storage space and was Ethan's latest creation.

It had become standard equipment for everyone on the ship. Except for Annette, who hadn't yet learned to sense energy with her mental power, everyone else could store important gear and weapons in it.

Besides item storage, the bracelet had another function: it could "store" an extra set of combat gear (not counted within the storage space), allowing a one-click gear change like Ethan's own magic loadout. This prevented situations where someone might be caught off guard wearing casual clothes during a surprise attack.

Especially someone like Ada, who was used to wearing all kinds of casual or formal attire during infiltration missions. Climbing, running, even fighting in high heels had become second nature to her. But no one with a sound mind would enjoy that. It was simply a matter of blending in.

The combat bracelet perfectly solved this issue. She could switch to combat gear as needed and back to casual wear when required. Ada really liked this equipment. In addition, Ethan gave her a second pair of bracers.

"I don't know how you used to chase women, but a pair of bracelets alone isn't enough to win me over."

"..."

Ethan could tell she was joking. After getting past her adjustment period, Ada was gradually showing her true nature.

"This is a magical item. It can release a chain up to one hundred meters long, which can be used for attack, defense, and climbing. The chain itself can also release electricity."

Ada recognized the value of the item immediately and put one of the bracers on her left wrist. As for the other, she held it and examined it.

"Do these chains have a name?"

Ethan hesitated for a moment, then answered truthfully.

"Nebula Chains."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 299: Loki of Asgard

The pair of chains given to Ada was both an experiment for Ethan and a warm-up for crafting future equipment.

He had always been considering forging his own versions of Saint Cloths. In fact, simply crafting armor with the same appearance wasn't difficult. Even plate armor with considerable thickness that retained the flexibility of regular clothing wasn't an insurmountable challenge for the current Ethan.

The real challenge was replicating the various abilities attached to them. Even if they couldn't be perfectly duplicated, the equipment still needed to have a significant amplification effect to be considered functional.

Otherwise, it would be nothing more than decoration—or perhaps a large-scale action figure?

Ethan's current situation was much better than before, but that didn't mean he could afford to waste large amounts of resources and energy creating decorative items. Just like the Nebula Chain this time—he only began working on it after evaluating its practicality.

Ada's combination with the rope gun had left a deep impression on him. In the current situation, Ethan wasn't planning to give Ada another rope gun. The Nebula Chain could do everything the rope gun could and offered additional functions. More importantly, worn as a bracelet on the wrist, it was both aesthetic and inconspicuous.

However, Ada still couldn't fully utilize the chains. The enhancement serum she had taken could continuously improve her physical fitness, but using the chains required an additional energy source. Relying solely on the energy stored within the item itself wasn't enough to unlock its full potential.

Ada currently didn't have time to learn new knowledge. She needed constant training to improve her mastery of strength.

Logan was in the same situation.

After completing his new enhancement serum, Logan also used this time to undergo his own transformation. He now faced the same issue Ethan once had.

He didn't spar with Loki, but chose to practice with Ethan to improve control over his power.

At the same time, Ethan used his sparring sessions with Logan to refine his own control.

Sparring with Loki helped him exert his full potential. Sparring with Logan helped him refine how to restrain and direct that strength. In these sessions, Ethan had to control the power output to avoid knocking Logan out with a single blow. Otherwise, the training would be pointless.

Furthermore, as Logan's control increased, Ethan had to keep adjusting his strength accordingly, ensuring the right amount of force at the right moment. If he misjudged, it wasn't a big deal—he'd just get poked by Logan's metal claws.

Logan had intended to fight using only his fists, but the claws had become instinctual. When overly excited or exerting full force, he found it difficult to prevent them from extending. Sometimes, he would throw a punch and the claws would pop out mid-strike. If Ethan didn't react in time, he would end up with a few new holes.

This made their training sessions bloodier than before. Annette even forbade Sherry from watching when she had nothing else to do. Fortunately, Laura, who was close in age, kept Sherry company, so she didn't get too bored even if she wasn't watching the sparring.

Especially since the newcomers weren't even allowed to move freely on deck. They could only take turns going up at night, when it was completely dark and they wouldn't be spotted by the other ships traveling alongside them.

This kind of life wasn't much different from being in confinement. Fortunately, everyone had something to do. Even Sherry had begun receiving various forms of education like Laura. With Annette, a top-tier scientist, now on board, they finally had someone suitable to teach higher-level knowledge.

After sailing like this for some time, Annette's body returned to its peak condition. She now felt better than ever and could stay in the lab researching for seventy-two hours straight without needing rest.

Annette was also a woman, and she cared about her appearance. Being able to restore her youthful state made her quite happy. If not for her daughter Sherry, she would have even wanted to revert to her eighteen-year-old self.

Ada's learning speed was incredibly fast. Before the Goddess of Dawn reached the central island, she had completed all her enhancements. Her physical fitness had officially surpassed ordinary human limits. With her rich combat experience and tactical agility, she could even hold her own against Logan in a head-on fight for a while.

As for facing Ethan and Loki? That was still out of the question. Those two mages had too many tricks. Against them, her tactics were ineffective.

However, as Logan's physical abilities grew and his control improved, Ada's duration in battle decreased noticeably.

The gap in physical strength was clear. Unless Ada underwent another round of enhancements, the disparity couldn't be bridged with technique alone.

Sherry continued living a healthy and happy life. Aside from the boredom from months at sea, she had no complaints.

Selene, on the other hand, was steadily improving her strength. As a vampire, she didn't need any additional help at the moment. Her path was long, and it would be a while before she encountered obstacles.

As for Loki, the second prince of Asgard, his strength had increased dramatically. Ethan noticed that Loki was now able to use the power of the Casket of Ancient Winters with ease. Even when using it, he no longer needed to transform into his Frost Giant form to withstand the cold. At most, his face turned a little pale and his eyes emitted a faint red glow.

"You've taken another step toward mastering this energy."

Loki nodded, clearly satisfied with the progress.

"That bottle of serum you gave me had an amazing effect."

The G-Virus was known for its uncontrollable mutation. While called "uncontrollable," the mutation actually followed a certain trajectory.

For example, William in the original plot initially showed signs of evolution after being infected. His strength and defense increased significantly. His appearance changed—he grew taller, bulkier, and developed extra limbs.

However, because of constant injuries and the extreme mutation speed of the G-Virus, William had to keep replenishing energy to maintain the mutation. During this time, he absorbed zombies, Lickers, and other infected creatures, and his evolution veered off course.

Later, William increasingly resembled a grotesque monster, and his body took on the traits of what he had absorbed. This indicated that the G-Virus mutations were heavily influenced by external stimuli, especially the nature of the "energy" consumed.

When Ethan improved the virus, he focused on this exact point. He adjusted and refined the process to avoid indiscriminately amplifying all traits. Instead, the enhancements would selectively strengthen characteristics that were beneficial to the user.

So, after using the serum, the user's body would be optimized—similar to how Diana's body had been transformed by divine power. While gaining divinity, Ethan also became more attuned to lightning.

In Loki's case, his affinity with frost was greatly enhanced, and his resistance to frost abilities increased significantly. As a result, his control over frost energy had also improved, and he had begun to convert this power into a personal strength source.

"I have to warn you. If you keep improving, you'll face two choices."

"What choices?"

"Either retain your Frost Giant traits... or completely abandon them."

Loki was quite different from typical Frost Giants. Even now, he wasn't sure what his true appearance was. Odin's magic was powerful and mysterious. It might have fundamentally altered his bloodline. He now seemed more like an Asgardian who could transform into a Frost Giant.

He once thought he would remain this way forever—only discovering his true form upon death, when Odin's magic would finally fade.

So, had he truly become an Asgardian, merely retaining a Frost Giant form? Or was he still a miniature Frost Giant, merely cloaked in a magical disguise?

On that day, he believed the truth would be revealed.

What he didn't expect was that Ethan would give him the ability to choose. He had never imagined that the young mage who had only mildly intrigued him back then would reach this level.

"You mean I can fix my appearance permanently?"

"After improving this serum, it can now complete a true evolution. That evolution is comprehensive—including appearance."

Loki was silent for a while, then answered with firm resolve.

"I am the Prince of Asgard."

Ethan nodded, understanding his decision. Then he added a suggestion: "Avoid transforming into that form for now. Once the enhancement fully stabilizes, you'll no longer be able to change back. However, the abilities of a Frost Giant will be fully integrated into your true form."

Loki smiled, gazing at the sea in the distance, as though he hadn't heard Ethan's words. But Ethan knew he had taken everything in.

And just as Loki fully stabilized the effects of the serum, the Goddess of Dawn finally arrived at the central island.

At this point, the fleet no longer stayed together. Each ship separated to find its own dock and tend to its own matters.

The few people who had been confined to the cabins could finally come out to see the sun and take in what this world was truly like.

"It looks like Earth's 16th century in terms of civilization," Annette commented after glancing at the ships docked at the pier and the buildings in the distance. "If not for those magical stone technologies…"

(To be continued.)